Roller Furling Headsail for CD30

[Will Parker]

I have no "yankee", (why would a southern boy like me want such a thing anyway), and I do have a 135% jenny with roller furling..
I have been removing my staysail club and stay when cruising for just the reasons you suggest. i.e., deck clutter which prevents being able to carry my dink on board, and inhibits use of anchor windless.
HOwever, I do miss the flexibility of the cutter when sailing.
Maybe I need to rethink my cruising habits.
The real issue requiring solution is dink stowage on the bow. I can tow it when I get to the Bahamas Bank, but I don't like the idea of towing it when I am in open sea, particularly the Gulf Stream. Since I have a Caribe inflatable, RIB, dink substitution doesn't seem to be an economical option. Perhaps I could deflate the dink and stow it behind the mast. Not a perfect solution since the dink does double duty as life raft.
HOwever, the Cape Dory 30, whether cutter or sloop rigged, is clearly the best sailing vessel I have ever owned. (until i got the 30, I thought the same about my CD 27). This is my fourth boat and hopefully my last.
I appreciate your comments and those of L. Demers and the others. I have learned a lot since I have been following this board.
Will
"Jambalaya"
CD 30, hull # 358

Chris, I've been out sailing and just got back, so am joining in late here. One part of your question not directly addressed is the deck sweeper portion. You get a lot of sail area and drive from the foot of the sail so that's why people opt for a deck sweeper rather than a high cut yankee in spite of the disadvantages such as poor vision. I have a 140 deck sweeper on mine and wouldn't change to anythinig else. I have to use a pennant to raise it enough to clear the pulpit. If you're doing any serious cruising, I wouldn't remove the staysail stay. You'll find you use that club footed staysail a lot. It's the thing that makes the cutter rig the preferred rig of cruising boats -- all those sail choices and combos, and well worth the extra lines and deck clutter etc that sloop sailors complain about. JMHO

Was wondering what the general concensus was about the design of a new roller furling headsail for a CD30 Cutter....should it be a traditional Yankee cut, modified Yankee cut, deck sweeper, greatest size (e.g. 135%), etc. Thanks.

Chris Schnell
s/v MADNESS III CD30 #235
Southport, NC

whildenp@flinet.com

[Tom]

I handle my dink two ways. Of course, I have a 31 which gives a little more room on the foredeck. I can just squeeze the Achilles inflatable under the staysail boom with the stern tubes running along the cabin sides. This holds it very securely. You might be able to achieve the same thing by deflating yours slightly, but if not, my other solution for shorter trips is to deflate it slightly and then lash it across the cabin top with the stern tubes facing forward. I can't remember what the Carib floors look like, but you might have to remove them. If you should need it as a life raft, you can slide it off the cabin top and there's enough air in it to float you until you can get it pumped up hard again. I don't do it, but I've seen people who don't have wind vanes on the stern pull them backwards over the stern so that the tip of the bow is in the water but the stern tubes are up on deck and the boat is lashed to the stern "pushpit". Crossing The Stream I'd get it up on deck, but motoring between the islands short distances that's OK. But then towing it is OK there also. Towing in any kind of seas doesn't work because they go airborne and turn turtle or fill with water and become sea anchors. Usually what happens is that you try this and that and keep fussing with it until you find what works the best for your set up. Like everything else on a boat it's a compromise that you make for the conditions you're in and the gear you have.

I have no "yankee", (why would a southern boy like me want such a thing anyway), and I do have a 135% jenny with roller furling..
I have been removing my staysail club and stay when cruising for just the reasons you suggest. i.e., deck clutter which prevents being able to carry my dink on board, and inhibits use of anchor windless.
HOwever, I do miss the flexibility of the cutter when sailing.
Maybe I need to rethink my cruising habits.
The real issue requiring solution is dink stowage on the bow. I can tow it when I get to the Bahamas Bank, but I don't like the idea of towing it when I am in open sea, particularly the Gulf Stream. Since I have a Caribe inflatable, RIB, dink substitution doesn't seem to be an economical option. Perhaps I could deflate the dink and stow it behind the mast. Not a perfect solution since the dink does double duty as life raft.
HOwever, the Cape Dory 30, whether cutter or sloop rigged, is clearly the best sailing vessel I have ever owned. (until i got the 30, I thought the same about my CD 27). This is my fourth boat and hopefully my last.
I appreciate your comments and those of L. Demers and the others. I have learned a lot since I have been following this board.
Will
"Jambalaya"
CD 30, hull # 358

Chris, I've been out sailing and just got back, so am joining in late here. One part of your question not directly addressed is the deck sweeper portion. You get a lot of sail area and drive from the foot of the sail so that's why people opt for a deck sweeper rather than a high cut yankee in spite of the disadvantages such as poor vision. I have a 140 deck sweeper on mine and wouldn't change to anythinig else. I have to use a pennant to raise it enough to clear the pulpit. If you're doing any serious cruising, I wouldn't remove the staysail stay. You'll find you use that club footed staysail a lot. It's the thing that makes the cutter rig the preferred rig of cruising boats -- all those sail choices and combos, and well worth the extra lines and deck clutter etc that sloop sailors complain about. JMHO

Was wondering what the general concensus was about the design of a new roller furling headsail for a CD30 Cutter....should it be a traditional Yankee cut, modified Yankee cut, deck sweeper, greatest size (e.g. 135%), etc. Thanks.

Chris Schnell
s/v MADNESS III CD30 #235
Southport, NC

TomCambria@mindspring.com

[Larry DeMers]

Thanks for the compliment..glad I can help once in awhile. Makes all these years worthwhile in another way completely.

We have an Avon Roll-Away inflatable which we stow on the seahood for the companionway hatch, in a wood cradle under the main boom. It is stowed deflated and rolled up, but takes only about 15 minutes to complete inflation and launching..less if we were properly enthused by the boat going down, I am sure. Your RIB takes a bit more room due to the fiberglass bottom, so it becomes a matter of stowing a hardshell dinghy to some extent.

I sure would not consider dinghy davits or stowage on the stern pulpit, due to the boat already being butt heavy, and with not a lot of reserve buoyancy in the stern section, until she squats too much.

So your solution may indeed be the only one available to you.

Let us know how it ends up..

Cheers,

Larry DeMers
s/v DeLaMer
Cape Dory 30

I have no "yankee", (why would a southern boy like me want such a thing anyway), and I do have a 135% jenny with roller furling..
I have been removing my staysail club and stay when cruising for just the reasons you suggest. i.e., deck clutter which prevents being able to carry my dink on board, and inhibits use of anchor windless.
HOwever, I do miss the flexibility of the cutter when sailing.
Maybe I need to rethink my cruising habits.
The real issue requiring solution is dink stowage on the bow. I can tow it when I get to the Bahamas Bank, but I don't like the idea of towing it when I am in open sea, particularly the Gulf Stream. Since I have a Caribe inflatable, RIB, dink substitution doesn't seem to be an economical option. Perhaps I could deflate the dink and stow it behind the mast. Not a perfect solution since the dink does double duty as life raft.
HOwever, the Cape Dory 30, whether cutter or sloop rigged, is clearly the best sailing vessel I have ever owned. (until i got the 30, I thought the same about my CD 27). This is my fourth boat and hopefully my last.
I appreciate your comments and those of L. Demers and the others. I have learned a lot since I have been following this board.
Will
"Jambalaya"
CD 30, hull # 358

Chris, I've been out sailing and just got back, so am joining in late here. One part of your question not directly addressed is the deck sweeper portion. You get a lot of sail area and drive from the foot of the sail so that's why people opt for a deck sweeper rather than a high cut yankee in spite of the disadvantages such as poor vision. I have a 140 deck sweeper on mine and wouldn't change to anythinig else. I have to use a pennant to raise it enough to clear the pulpit. If you're doing any serious cruising, I wouldn't remove the staysail stay. You'll find you use that club footed staysail a lot. It's the thing that makes the cutter rig the preferred rig of cruising boats -- all those sail choices and combos, and well worth the extra lines and deck clutter etc that sloop sailors complain about. JMHO

Was wondering what the general concensus was about the design of a new roller furling headsail for a CD30 Cutter....should it be a traditional Yankee cut, modified Yankee cut, deck sweeper, greatest size (e.g. 135%), etc. Thanks.

Chris Schnell
s/v MADNESS III CD30 #235
Southport, NC

demers@gi.com